The traditional leadership theories that we know of have studied leadership from many different perspectives and angles. Some have investigated leaders’ styles, characteristics, and behaviors, while others have focused on the situation that leadership occurs in. Meanwhile, others have attempted to explain the dynamics between leaders and followers. While all these models have contributed to our understanding of leadership, it is beneficial to consider leadership from a clinical point of view. That is, to consider the mental health issues of leaders and examine the stresses that leadership brings with it. Because of this, it is also important to discuss some self-help strategies that leaders should undertake to maintain optimal mental health. This is often referred to as self-leadership.
Leadership is not for the faint of heart. It requires a lot of focus, effort, and energy. Leaders carry significant levels of responsibility and make complex and often difficult decisions daily. Sometimes leadership is romanticized and made to look very desirable. Of course, there are enjoyable aspects of leadership, and it can be very rewarding. However, there are many challenging aspects that do not get as much attention. This is why so many leaders fail, and only very few succeed in the long run. James Citrin (2019) and his associates asserted that the time period that CEOs are effective in their roles is only 9.5 years. They discussed the lifespan of leaders and the stages in their leadership tenure. They called these stages honeymoon, sophomore slump, recovery, complacency trap, and golden years. While many leaders stay longer than the 9.5, these authors suggested that they should not. Leaders do not last forever, and they should themselves understand when the time comes for them to step down. Meanwhile, they should take care of themselves actively and continuously.
Depression and anxiety are spreading globally. According to Lisa Henderson (2023), 21 million U.S. adults are living with depression and 42.5 million adults are affected by anxiety in 2023. The global pandemic caused an increase of 28% in of people suffering from depression and 25% from anxiety worldwide. Leaders are not immune from the widespread challenge of depression and anxiety. The stress caused by busy work schedules and large workloads that leaders have can cause exhaustion that can lead to depression. The need to satisfy many different stakeholders can cause high levels of anxiety especially during the times of hardship and challenges. These challenging times have been common recently as many companies have been struggling to rebuild after the pandemic. Of course, before that there was the great recession and many years of recovery from it. Prior to that there was something else. Business world is always rapidly changing and filled with trials and tribulations. The seas of the business world are stormy, and leaders must have their fingers on the pulse every step of the way.
It is perhaps a little ironic that the best leaders care about their followers, but this compassion and empathy can also come with an emotional cost. Their compassion and empathy cause them to be very sensitive to the suffering and pain of their followers. This sensitivity can sometimes cause stress and even burnout. It is therefore important for these leaders to always practice good self-care. Many techniques like mindfulness, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, etc. can be very helpful in relaxing and balancing when needed. However, as helpful as these techniques are, they are not always sufficient. Self-leadership is a lifestyle and an attitude. It is a wholistic philosophical and psychologically minded approach to life. This lifestyle includes regular exercise and healthy diet, as well as a good support system. No leader is an island operating alone. Leaders need people who they can authentically talk to and share their feelings with. It is not always easy for them to find these people since leaders are surrounded by followers. Leadership can be lonely and isolating. Therefore, it is sometimes useful for leaders to speak to a professional counselor or coach. Executive and leadership coaches are equipped with tools to help and when these tools are not sufficient, a clinically oriented counselor can help.
It takes courage to admit one’s anxiety and depression. There is a certain stigma associated with mental illness in the society and leaders are especially uneasy about sharing their struggles. Yet, this sharing and openness is necessary for proper self-leadership and self-care. Leaders must be able to accept that they are vulnerable and proactively take steps to practice preventive care. They must surround themselves with people who are willing to tell them honestly when they see their behavior changing. Irritation and agitation are signs of depression, along with fatigue and sadness. Erratic decision making and irrational thinking can be signs of anxiety, or even symptoms of psychosis. Leaders do not necessarily notice their own behavioral changes but people around them can see the differences. Being open to listen to them is therefore important before these behavioral changes cause damage to the leader’s effectiveness. Followers can lose faith and trust on a leader that behaves in an incoherent manner.
References:
Citrin J., Hildebrand C., and Stark R. (2019). The CEO Life Cycle. Harvard Business Review. Harvard Business School Publishing. Cambridge, MA.
Henderson, L. (2023). Mental Health Statistics. Forbes Magazine. Forbes Media LLC. Jersey City, NJ.
